Do I Have 12 or 24 Months of GI Bill Benefits Left?
Q: I left active duty in 1999 and have remained a selected reservist to the present. I used 24 months of MGIB benefits 1999-2001. My remaining 12 months of the MGIB are expired right? But do I have 12 or 24 months of reserve GI bill benefits available? I am scheduled to start an executive MBA program July 8th and have applied via VONAPP but not heard anything yet. Thank you.
A: The way I read the regulation under the Rule of 48, if you qualify for two GI Bills, you get a maximum combined benefit of 48 months. You had the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB-AD) and now you have the MGIB-SR, so you have two GI Bills. That should entitle you to the 48 months. You used 34 months of your MGIB-AD and your remaining 12 months expired in 2009 – 10 years from your date of discharge. So, I’m thinking you only have 12 months left of MGIB-SR benefits left, which won’t pay you much – right now it is $333 per month.
Do you have any additional active duty Title 10 time for the time you have been in the Reserves? If so, you may have enough time to qualify for the minimum benefits of the Post-9/11 GI Bill. It wouldn’t give you any additional months of benefits, but it would pay a lot more.
At least a portion of your tuition and fees would be paid by the VA directly to your school. You would get a portion of the monthly housing allowance and book stipend.
It is rare today that Reservists and National Guardsman don’t have at least one or two deployments that would count toward the Post 9/11 GI Bill.
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